Torrington marks 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor with ceremony

Published 3:36 pm, Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington.

Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington.

Photo: Digital First Media

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Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington. Here, Chief Boatswain Isadore Tadiello, a survivor of the bombing, speaks to those in attendance. less

Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington. Here, Chief Boatswain Isadore Tadiello, a survivor of the bombing, speaks ... more

Photo: Digital First Media

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Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington.

Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington.

Photo: Digital First Media

Image 4 of 17

Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington.

Ben Lambert - The Register CitizenThe 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor was marked with a ceremony Wednesday in Torrington.

Photo: Digital First Media

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Torrington marks 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor with ceremony

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TORRINGTON >> Residents came together to mark the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and honor the service of American military members who were there, as well as those who were lost, with a ceremony Wednesday afternoon at Coe Memorial Park.

The ceremony, organized by the Torrington Veteran’s Support Committee, is one of a number of events hosted by the committee members that also include Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

The featured speaker for the occasion was Chief Boatswain Isadore Tadiello, a North Caanan resident who lived through the bombing, and spoke Wednesday of his experiences on that day.

“I was spellbound,” said Tadiello. “From then on, we were just people that (were) part of the war. I’m pretty proud to have survived, but that’s all I can say about it. We were just part of the number of people of the ship.”

The ceremony also featured a three-volley rifle salute, made at approximately 12:55 p.m., which is 7:55 a.m. Hawaiian time — the time when the bombardment began in 1941.

“Taps” was then played, as the crowd gathered outside the Coe Memorial Park Civic Center turned to face the American flag in the center of the park.

Commemorative wreathes, offered by local service and veterans organizations, were also saluted during the proceedings Thursday.

A series of elected officials — state Sen. Kevin Witkos, Senator-elect Craig Miner (R-30th) Reps. Michelle Cook and Jay Case, Representative-elect Brian Ohler, and Mayor Elinor Carbone — also participated in the event, sharing their thoughts upon the day and offering citations and proclamations.

“75 years ago, our nation suffered an attack that took the lives of thousands of Americans. It was horrific and devastating, but out of tragedy came bravery, out of pain came unity, and out of suffering came a call to serve,” said Witkos. “Today, we recognize the many courageous lives lost at Pearl Harbor, we honor those who survived, and we share our love with the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice so long ago.”

“As much as we have seen anger and (hate) and hostilities over the last 12 to 18 months, and over the last many, many years, we recognize on these days that united we stand,” said Cook. “We stand proud. We stand proud together as Americans, in recognizing the sacrifies that each and every veteran has given us, and their family members, (and that they) have presented us with great opportunities, freedoms, and liberties.”

Carbone spoke of “the sentiments of gratitude, of inspiration, and incredible awe,” that comes with marking the service of the veterans who served on that day, before offering a proclamation marking Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in the city of Torrington.